Runner Success Stories
“I learned so much about the most effective ways to train and get faster.”
I first met Julie & Lisa while hosting them for running advice during a local TV segment. As a runner myself, my ultimate goal was to race in Boston but I failed to qualify after several attempts. I finally decided to seek out their expertise and it was the best decision I ever made! I learned so much about the most effective ways to train and get faster. Those lessons have guided my running ever since. Plus, their coaching propelled me to a marathon personal best, a BQ and I ran the Boston Marathon in 2022!
Adam, Clarksburg, MD
“Their experience as coaches led me to shave 24 minutes from my marathon PR in only 15 months!”
The improvement in my marathon times since starting to work with Julie and Lisa is shocking. I started running consistently at age 38 and ran my first marathon shortly after turning 40, finishing in 4:25 at the St. Jude Marathon in Memphis. After just 6 months of training with RFF, I ran a 20-MINUTE PR at the Rocket City Marathon and was only 97 seconds off a Boston Qualifying time!! I was utterly amazed. When I experienced a knee issue, Julie helped me focus on building back safely and working on speed at shorter distances. In September 2024, I earned another PR and my first BQ by running 3:47! Most importantly, I felt really good and strong during both of those marathon cycles. I am 46 now, and I know my fastest times are still ahead of me. Julie and Lisa are so supportive and encouraging, and clearly their wealth of knowledge and experience as coaches led me to shave 24 minutes from my marathon PR in only 15 months. I still can’t believe it! Thank you so much and see you in Boston, Julie & Lisa!
Leigh, Marietta, GA
“Julie and Lisa create doable schedules for my life“
I have been working with Lisa and Julie since 2017 and they are easy to work with and super knowledgeable about running. I have relied on their expertise to train for numerous races at a variety of distances, successfully return from injury, and they helped make my BQ possible. I am a principal with three children of my own who have very busy schedules, and Julie and Lisa create doable schedules for my life, make sure that I am strength training and doing mobility work, and easily adjust when needed. When people find out I have a running coach, I always tell them I pay for a coach, not a gym! This is an investment that I make in myself, and I am grateful to work with them and call them friends.
Suzanne, Skokie, IL
“Under Lisa’s amazing coaching, I completed the 2024 Tokyo Marathon happy & healthy all while achieving a Boston Marathon qualifying time.“
I discovered Julie and Lisa from the Run Farther & Faster Podcast a few years ago and the podcast instantly became a weekly favourite. While I had run several marathons self-coached, I found myself in a cycle of injuries and felt I needed a coach to help me reset and rebuild as a healthy runner.
During my initial consultation with Lisa in May 2023, I wanted to jump right into training for the Chicago Marathon that fall. Lisa understood how special this race opportunity was, but she told me that it would not be prudent to train for and race Chicago coming off back-to-back significant injuries. Instead, Lisa directed me to seek nutrition counseling, work with a physical therapist to build functional strength and to not run for the next 4 months to allow my injuries to fully heal. We agreed to connect back in the fall to decide if coaching would be the right next step. While I was so disappointed at the time, in hindsight, saying no to coaching me initially, and instead guiding me to other professionals was the best thing for me.
Lisa and Julie provide a truly customized training plan to meet my needs and fit with my schedule. Lisa is highly engaged and responsive – proactively checking in, offering thoughtful feedback, guidance and support. Under Lisa’s amazing coaching, I completed the 2024 Tokyo Marathon happy & healthy all while achieving a Boston Marathon qualifying time. I have since raced shorter distances like 5K, 10K and half marathon achieving PBs and placing in my AG. To this day, I am beyond grateful for Lisa and Julie’s care and integrity in their coaching.
Amanda, Stoufville, Ontario, Canada
“Thanks to Lisa’s terrific coaching, I had a strong marathon build training cycle and was able to achieve my Boston Marathon qualifying time with a 25 minute buffer!”
After seeing the benefits my wife experienced from working with Lisa and Julie, I began working with Lisa in May 2024 in preparation for a last attempt marathon to achieve a Boston Marathon qualifying time for April 2025. Having run for years with self-developed coaching plans, I never knew if I was training too much or too little or doing the right workouts. I found Lisa’s guidance to be invaluable, allowing me to focus on the workouts, rather than putting so much mental energy into wondering if the workout was correct. This has made my marathon training feel so much more enjoyable!
Thanks to Lisa’s terrific coaching, I had a strong marathon build training cycle and was able to achieve my Boston Marathon qualifying time with a 25 minute buffer! But even more importantly, I had one of the most satisfying and enjoyable marathon experiences in the 29 marathons I have run so far. I was able to complete the marathon with nearly even splits between the front and back half, something I have always struggled with.
I really appreciate that Run Farther and Faster offers a holistic approach to coaching that includes fully customized run training plans as well as amazing resources like strength and mobility training, nutrition and mental performance, all geared to runners. It is evident Coach Lisa has her athletes best interests at heart. She is responsive, flexible, engaged and compassionate, always there for her athletes with advice, feedback and a helping hand. I have loved working with Lisa and Julie, and look forward to more training cycles ahead.
Jack, Stoufville, Ontario, Canada
“From the very beginning, Lisa has been more than just a coach; she has been a teacher”
Working with Lisa & Julie has been one of the most transformative experiences of my running journey. As someone who has always been determined, I set out to run the Honolulu Marathon with the intention of doing it right. I knew that hiring a coach was essential to help me reach the finish line, and after our initial conversation, I was convinced that Lisa was the perfect fit for me. Her thoughtful questions and genuine understanding of my goals immediately set her apart from other coaches.
From the very beginning, Lisa has been more than just a coach; she has been a teacher. When we first started working together, terms like “gait” were completely foreign to me. I remember doing a quick Google search after one of my first runs, eager to understand what she meant. Lisa took the time to break down complex concepts into manageable pieces, allowing me to build my knowledge and confidence as a runner. Her insights into proper fueling strategies and mobility exercises have not only improved my performance but have also helped me develop a deeper understanding of my own body and its needs.
Alexis, Bethesda, MD
“Lisa taught me how to combat negative thinking and actually learn to love running again“
I came to Run Farther & Faster because I heard good things from some friends. I wanted to try to improve my marathon time and qualify for Boston. I had some marathon training experience working in group training but never understood how to take that training and individualize it. While working with Lisa she helped give me structured workouts that pushed me the right amount and the daily feedback was so helpful in guiding me on my journey. Lisa also helped me work through the mental barriers I faced in marathon training, she taught me how to combat negative thinking and actually learn to love running again. To this day, my running continues to improve and I think it’s a testament to the work I did with Lisa and Julie. I was not only able to achieve my goals but the lessons I learned from continue to help me to this day.
Libby, Silver Spring, MD
“I’d heard about the ‘running community’ before I met them, but I never felt like part of that community until I joined Run Farther & Faster.”
It’s one thing to chase your dream, it’s another thing to chase your dream with guides who show you how to get there. I started working with Julie and Lisa in 2017, hoping to qualify for the Boston Marathon. By 2019, we’d taken 20 minutes off my marathon time and I qualified with a 10+ minute buffer. But I got so much more than that from working with them. Julie and Lisa taught me about strength training and nutrition to avoid injury, speed workouts to improve my cadence and efficiency, and mental toughness to keep pushing during races. I’d heard about the “running community” before I met them, but I never felt like part of that community until I joined Run Farther & Faster. I love how Lisa gives me feedback on all my runs and checks in on me as a person, not just a runner. If you’re wondering whether coaching is right for you, reach out to them! To be honest, I wasn’t sure I was “enough of a runner” to deserve a coach when we started. But I took the risk, and I’m so glad I did. That’s why I’m still working with Julie and Lisa seven years later!
Caetlin, Washington, DC
“I feel like my love for running has been renewed through Julie’s programming”
Working with Julie and Lisa has been a seamless, effective, and professional experience. Julie has been programming for me for the last year and it’s been amazing working with her. When I reached out to Julie and Lisa, I needed help preparing for the 2024 Boston Marathon while also dealing with a nagging hamstring tendinopathy and Achilles tendonitis injury. Julie was always checking in and modifying my program around my injuries and got me to the starting line feeling strong and prepared for race day! I ended up running alongside my dad at Boston, but felt so good and wanted to see how I’d do running my own race. So, five days later I ended up running the Delaware Marathon and PR’d for the first time in 13 years. I feel like my love for running has been renewed through Julie’s programming, which is why I’ve continued to work with them after those marathons. I highly recommend Run Farther & Faster’s services to anyone looking to improve their running performance. 10/10!
Nicole, Kensington, MD
“My age-graded performances now in my 60s are better than my actual finish times in my 20s and 30s”
Running is a lifelong endeavor; Lisa and Julie help me get the best out of myself for the long run. Although I’ve been a distance runner for decades, Lisa’s guidance tailoring my training to the stage of life I’m in now has helped me stay at the top of my game. In fact, my age-graded performances now in my 60s are better than my actual finish times in my 20s and 30s. The mobility, strength training, and nutrition resources Julie and Lisa offer also help keep me resilient. And technical expertise aside, the support of the Run Farther & Faster coaches and fellow athletes at meet-ups and Boston Marathon Zoom calls is a motivation boost.
Susan, Whitinsville, MA
Ready to get started with an experienced running coach?
Whether you’re chasing a Boston qualifying time or lacing up for your first race, we’re here to guide you toward your best performance. Join the thousands of runners who have trusted us to help them run farther and faster.